1. Field Of The Invention
This invention relates to whirlpool foot baths and the like where means are provided to removably attach a seat to a compartment adjacent to the foot bath.
2. Description Of The Art
Whirlpool foot baths, sometimes as part of a shower enclosure, are available to enable a user to soak and relax his or her feet. Such a fixture typically includes an electrically powered pump adjacent to the basin. The pump must be accessible for maintenance, adjustment and repair, and must be secured from water that is in the tub basin. Access to such pump can be provided through a room wall from an adjacent closet, crawl space or other unobtrusive area. This allows the shower enclosure to remain a one piece, sealed shell. However, in some cases there is no such convenient adjacent access space.
A more satisfactory solution of the access problem is to design the enclosure so that the bather's seat in the whirlpool doubles as a removable cover for the compartment containing the pump, thereby providing access to the pump from inside the enclosure.
Using the seat as the compartment cover requires the solution of a number of problems. The seat/cover must prevent splashed water from leaking into the pump compartment. It also requires that the seat/cover be securely attached in a way that does not interfere with the utility of the seat. While attaching the seat/cover to the compartment by a bolt, washer, and nut can provide a waterproof seal, it may subject the bather to discomfort if the bolt head intrudes upon the sitting surface. Countersinking the nuts or bolts would prevent discomfort to a bather. However, countersunk holes are undesirable esthetically from the outset, and their esthetics worsen as water and dirt and mold collect in and around them.